Episode VIII: The Balance
by LunaPendragon18
Summary: Luke Skywalker's blood-line is cursed. His family has always struggled against the Dark Side of the Force. Now he must face a new challenge, one he is not certain he should accept. Ray has always wondered why her family abandoned her but when Kylo Ren makes her an offer she cannot refuse her struggles against the Darkness will begin. WARNING: Contains spoilers from Episode7
1. Chapter 1

Along time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

Episode VIII

The Balance

It is a time of unrest. The Republic, still recovering from the First Order's devastating attack, must once again take up arms. General Leia Organa continues to lead the Resistance, having no time to mourn, and has sent Rey in search of her brother. Kylo Ren has gone into hiding within the First Order whilst their dark plans continue to slowly unfold within the midst of the darkness.

Rey, having succeeded on her quest to find the last Jedi Knight, Luke Skywalker, now trains under his reluctant care within the first Jedi Temple.

The balance of the Force is tilting once again.

"He is too old." Master Yoda, the only Jedi Knight Luke could recognise in the ring of men and woman that surrounded the standing trio said. Even after all these weeks Luke had yet to identify most of those stern but knowledgeable faces. This has been a dream that has plagued his night for several weeks, since _her_ arrival. No, this wasn't a dream. Jedi never had dreams, this was the Force showing him what he was meant to see.

The past.

It was a warning about training his new Padawan. He didn't need the Force to warn him against training her. He let the vision unfold even though he knew what the knights before him were going to say. Maybe tonight he would see something he had yet to see.

"But Master." Said a tall, middle-aged Jedi who was standing in the middle of the ring, making up part of the trio of nervous looking people. He had long light hair and feline like features. "This boy's Midi-chlorians count exceeds even your own. I believe he could be the one the prophecy spoke of."

The previously unmovable Jedi shifted uncomfortably as the man spoke.

"Qiu-Gon you speak of the prophecy that tells of a chosen one who would bring balance to the Force, correct?" A dark skinned man sitting at Yoda's side said.

"Yes, I believe young Skywalker could be who the prophecy speaks of." Pleaded Qui-Gon looking at the other observers, determination in his light eyes.

"You know it is against Jedi Order's regulations to accept children of this age. He is simply too old." The man continued.

"Much turmoil, I feel." Added Yoda.

"Then let me train him as his master! I will accept young Anakin as my Padawan!" Qui-Gon instantly blurted out.

A shocked and hurt look spread across the younger man that stood besides him. A face Luke had eventually recognised, albeit much younger and less weathered.

"Master!" The youth protested, Luke could hear the hurt in his voice.

"Padawan, you have." Observed Yoda.

"Obi-Wan is more then ready for the trials." Insisted Qui-Gon.

"The boy is still too old to be trained as a Jedi knight." Said the unnamed man again. Many of the other Jedi that encircled the trio nodded their heads in agreement.

"His future, clouded it is." Added Yoda, looking down at the smallest of the trio- a young boy with sandy coloured hair and piercing blue that appeared as if they could see Luke standing before him, even though this was a vision.

This was Anakin Skywalker, his father and future Sith Lord. This boy would someday grow up to bring devastation to the galaxy.

The Jedi masters were right, this young boy had been too old to start training.

Luke himself though had been exceptionally older then Anakin when he had started his training and so it he was surprised that he too had stReyed slightly to the dark side. If it hadn't been for his old master's teachings he might have replaced his father as Sith Lord. Even Ben, his sister's eldest son, who had started training in the ways of the force at half of Anakin's age had been corrupted by the Dark side.

No, he could not make excuses, age was not the problem. Anakin's blood ran through all their veins and it was his line was cursed to forever sway between the sides of the force. To forever struggle against the temptress that was the Dark Side. It was this bloodline, armed with a light sabre, that brought this galaxy to the brink of disaster.

Luke slowly opened his eyes.

The same thought that had run trough his mind since her arrival echoed within his subconscious.

He did not approve of training Rey.

The first sounds he heard as he fully awoke were the strange avian creatures that inhabited the blue skies of this planet. Their soft whistles and chirps had now become his wake up call, a soothing sound that helped quiet the mind. Crimson light seeped in from windows coating the little furniture within his makeshift hut a rich shade of red. He could hear the low howl of wind outside as if prophesising another of those chilly days that have berated this island for the last few weeks.

Routinely he forced himself into his old, brown Jedi robes, his old joints, for he was growing older by the day, groaning slightly with ever move he made. He could hear R2D2 now, beeping and rolling outside his hut. The droids had been residing within the Millennium Falcon, along with Chewacca and his young Padawan,

Luke found it strange how that girl had so quickly adjusted to his early morning routine. There were no trade stations here, or at least not on the small island the temple resided on. If they wished to eat they would hunt for it themselves, even if that meant using primitive methods of fishing. But, for a young Jedi in training, it was a good test of patience. And Rey followed Luke without question, not out of ignorant loyalty however. He could see it in her eyes and feel it in her presence in the Force. For one so young she had had a hard life.

Luke had his hand on the door of his hut, ready to enter the day, before something glimmering in the early Reys caught his eye. The silver hilt of his light sabre, his father's light sabre, lay innocently on the small wooden table, unmoved from the day Rey had given it to him.

His blood-line was cursed.

This light sabre had brought the galaxy to its knees.

No, he did not agree with training Rey at all.


	2. Chapter 2

"C'mon BB." Panted Ray as she dragged her catch up the steep slope that led to their camp. "Luke will have not excuses today, he will have to train me."

That morning Rey had woken up long before the sun even began to peak over the grey horizon of this world. Even without Luke's silent work she had finished their chores, ahead of time please note.

Now Luke had no excuses. Today they could do some actual training.

She reached the summit of the small hill just as Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi, walked out of his makeshift hut.

Upon looking at him you would not have thought that this old man before her was actually a Jedi master, his greying beard grew out unruly and uneven, his cloak was torn around the edges and in need of a good wash and Luke, if you dared look into his eyes, seemed battered and tired as if he had seen better days. Ray assumed that she had. Although, when she had asked why he had travelled to the furthest reaches of the galaxy to find the old ruins of a temple he had answered it was for meditation, she found it hard to believe that he would leave his family without telling them it was for such a mundane feat.

But then, what did she know? Her family had also left her without an explanation.

"Young Padawan, you're up early." Yawned Luke, eyeing the net of dripping fish that hung over the youth's shoulder. Although she wouldn't admit it, the load was quite heavy but she carried it without a single complaint.

"I finished all the morning's chores Luke." She said as greeting. Although the old man insisted on calling her 'Padawan', a term she assumed must means 'apprentice' she felt more comfortable calling him Luke rather then 'Master'. Although the Luke Skywalker she had heard about in the stories was truly worthy of the title, the man she had been living with these past few weeks had yet, in her yes, to earn that title.

"I can see that." Said Luka, barely giving the net of fish a second glance, he was more interested with R2D2 ,who was fondly encircling the man with a chorus of greeting beeps. "R2,ż go wake up Chewwy and C3PO would you? Unlike Ray here they aren't as diligent with their chore."

Ray cleared her throat to get Luke's attention, slightly frustrated.

"It seems like you want to tell me something."

"Did you sense it in the force?"

"No." Luke said, half laughing. "You're tapping your foot and I can't hear any obvious tunes worthy of such an action, so something must be on your mind.'

"When will we be starting my _actual_ training?" She blurted out.

"What do you mean?" he asked, raising a bushy eyebrow. "You have been training."

"No, I mean not trying to use the Force to feel how many ants are found in a nest. I mean how to use the Force in a _useful_ way."

"You don't think being able to use the Force to see how many adversaries are out there before you see them isn't useful?"

"I'm saying finding out how many ants there are isn't."

"Why are you in such a hurry to learn?" he enquired.

Ray bit her tongue, she couldn't tell him the reason. If she did Luke would most definitely refuse to teach her.

"Because of the First Order." She feebly answered, but Luke had asked that question purposely. He sensed Ray's emotions within the Force. It wasn't strong and it was fleeting but he sensed something he didn't quite like.

It felt dark.

"What is it you want to learn? How to fight?"

"I know how to fight." Ray stubbornly said dropping the net of fish onto the ground and rolling her shoulders against the strain of having to support it for so long.

"No, you don't fight. You whack and hack. Fighting, at least for Jedi, is an art." Observed Luke, having seen Ray training with her staff several times.

"Well it's helped me survive so far." She said, defensively.

"Yes, surviving is one thing but protecting is another." Luke sternly said.

"Then teach me." Ray calmly said.

Could Luke sense gentle Force persuasion in her voice?

Yes, he could. However his training had thought him how to overcome it. The true question was, did Ray intend to use such suggestion on him? Or was it just her being unable to control her effect on the Force? If that were the case she was more in tune with it then either of them could ever hope to understand.

Luke gave a silent sigh, it was times like this he wished Master Yoda were here, his wisdom would be much appreciated.

"You want to learn so badly?" Luke said, thoughtfully walking into his hut.

Ray waited a few minutes, almost certain she had pushed Luke too hard on the matter. She was just contemplating whether she should follow him or continue with the cooking and/or drying of the fish (which were starting to smell) when Luke walked out with a small wrench-like object in his hand. It was old and rusted and, to Ray, not an item of great importance when fixing droids.

"If you manage to relieve me from this." Luke said, twirling the object near his head, " I may consider advancing your training slightly. You many use any weapon you wish, your staff, that net of fish or even my Lightsabre or, if you prefer, you may use no weapons at all."

"What are you saying?" Ray said, her mind already racing to the Millennium Falcon where her trusty staff waited for her. "I cannot use your Lightsabre, without it what would you use to defend yourself?"

"Oh, " said Luke, a mischievous gleam entering his old eyes. "I won't be using any weapons."

 **There you go! Chapter 2! So sorry for the late update but I really hope you are enjoying the story so far** **J** **reviews are always welcome and thanks so much for reading!- LunaPendragon.**


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